Sports writer for The Age

A late and high bump is set to trigger a third suspension this season for Mitch Robinson.

The rugged Carlton player was reported during his team's defeat of North Melbourne on Friday night for a clash that sent the Kangaroos' Leigh Adams to the turf and then off the ground for a medical examination.

Robinson, playing in his 100th match, was too late to prevent Adams delivering a clearing handball. He then turned his body and bumped his opponent primarily to the upper chest but seemingly his head too, triggering a match-day report for rough conduct from umpire Justin Schmitt.

The fact that the bump was late could persuade the panel to grade it as reckless conduct rather than negligent. Photo: Channel Seven

Two-time Geelong premiership captain Tom Harley told AFL Game Day he was expecting a ban of at least two matches for Robinson, because "he chose to bump, he got him (Adams) high".

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Any penalty given to Robinson would be inflated by a 10 per cent loading for his poor record and 20.31 carry-over points, the latter from striking Collingwood's Taylor Adams in round 15.

While Robinson was not clearly off the ground, the fact that the bump was late could persuade the panel to grade it as reckless conduct rather than negligent. Barring an adverse medical report from North Melbourne, the impact grading is unlikely to be higher than medium.

A classification of reckless conduct, medium impact and high contact would trigger a three-match ban that could be cut to two with a guilty plea.

Despite Robinson's reputation as a match review panel regular, his two suspensions earlier this year - two matches for striking Adams, one for striking St Kilda's Jack Newnes in round eight - have been the only AFL suspensions in his six-year career. He has also been reprimanded twice, and received a two-match ban in the VFL in 2009, his first season after being drafted from Tasmania.

Port Adelaide forward Paul Stewart is likely to escape punishment for high contact he made to Melbourne's Nathan Jones on Sunday.

Stewart was anticipating possibly gaining possession as Jones and Port's Robbie Gray came towards him. When Gray won possession and Jones' momentum took him towards Stewart the 191-centimetre Port player turned side-on to Jones, just before the Demons co-captain ran into his shoulder and fell to the ground.

Demons midfielder Bernie Vince is also set to escape scrutiny for a blow delivered to just below the neck of his Power opponent, Kane Cornes, because of insufficient impact to warrant a striking charge.